The Truth Will Set You Free
by beth830
Summary: Post Truth Metric. What lengths will Colby go to to get the team to accept him back?
1. Chapter 1

I do not own the rights to or anything else to do with Numb3ers. Got bored one day and decided to try my hand at this.

Chapter 1

It had been 3 weeks since Colby Granger had been rescued off the Chinese freighter. It had been a hard 2 years for Colby, reporting on the LA office of the FBI and his team mates, but the last 8 weeks had been harder for his team mates. Special Agent Don Eppes knew that his team was unraveling around him and had to get it together and start functioning as team again.

A new day was starting, and FBI Agent Colby Granger really hoped that today was the day that his old partner, David Sinclair, would begin to put the past behind them and start fresh with their friendship and partnership. Colby knew that if David didn't come around, they could not be partners in the field anymore. Partners had to trust each other, but this Triple Agent business had made David cautious about going in the field with Colby as his backup, and it was just a matter of time before one of them was hurt or killed in the line of duty. What no one realized, was that there was one other person outside of the Colby's team that knew the story of what went down…because she had been undercover in the same investigation.

"What do I do?" Colby Granger asked his old friend. "David can't reconcile the last 2 years of me spying on the office with that went down in the last 8 weeks. Don can't decide if he should have seen thru my lies or if he isn't fit to lead because he trusted me for 2 years. Thank God Megan has sort of taken it in stride. Some days I think that she is the only one who wants to see me back in the office."

"Come on Colby, you can't mean that! Those guys came after you on that freighter. I was there and saw how hard they tried to get to you and then keep you alive until the EMTs got there." The girl was pretty plain and boring to look at, but then that is what good black ops agents are. Even in a room full of light, they fade into the background. And she was the best.

No one on the team had realized her mission was to keep tabs on Colby's mission AND act as bodyguard to Charlie Eppes, the math geneuis. The mucky mucks at the alphabet spy agencies would have had a coronary if the op had ended with the Chinese getting their hands on Charlie. The girl had a job to protect Charlie, no matter what happened to Colby or Don or the rest of the team. But there was something no one on the team run by Don Eppes knew: they had until 3 pm on Friday to get the team running smooth or else. If things were not functioning better between Colby, David, Megan, and Don then on Friday at 3 pm the team would be called into the Director's office. There someone much higher than the director of the LA field office would be waiting. It would be painful to watch, but the team would be broken up. Each agent sent to a different field office in a different part of the nation or world. Their personnel folder would be marked to say that they could never work together again as a team.

"David wanted me alive to answer questions and go back in prison. And he isn't the only one. Most of the field office believes I should still be in prison and can't figure out how I got reinstated. Even when Don made the floor watch the video from the freighter, some thought it was a trick to get me back in to the FBI," responded Colby depressingly. "I just don't know what else to do to show them that I have their backs."

The girl knew what the options were. The option she was about to suggest was not going to be pretty. It was dependent on Colby agreeing and trusting her but more importantly, she couldn't be wrong about Agent Don Eppes, the rest of the team, Charlie, and Alan. If she was wrong and it didn't work, and if she was wrong about Don Eppes and his team and family, it failed

A vial was taken out of her pocket and placed on the table between them. "How bad do you want the team to stay together and be on it? What are you willing to do?"


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own the rights or anything to Numb3rs. Just a way to pass the time.

Chapter 2

God NO! that was the first thought thru Colby Granger's mind. Not again. Not the drugs again. He could feel his lungs begin to paralyze from the first drug that Lancer had shot him full of. He had been in an Spec Ops group and had to undergo exposure to certain "truth" drugs. Really they were just a chemical form of torture. Much less messy than chains, whips, or other implements. He had been exposed to both of the drugs Lancer used on that freighter. But it wasn't the same as sitting there for 2 hours trying to breathe, then trying to breathe and fight the pain induced by the second drug for 3 more hours before Lancer injected the potassium chloride into him and stopped his heart cold.

"Please tell me there is another way. I can't go thru those drugs again," Colby pleaded.

"This isn't either of those drugs, Colby. It is something else. You have never seen it before. I would like to say that it is an easy drug, but it isn't. It does what all drugs do, make you tell the truth. It will have fewer side effects and you won't feel like you are drowning or about to die."

"What is your plan?"

The girl braced herself. This is where things could go wrong. "I have a safe house. Well, a warehouse fitted out to be a safe house is more like it. I want to take you there first and get you set up. Then I am going to bring in Charlie and Alan. Alan is like the surrogate father to the team, he has to be there to see this thing to the end. Charlie will not give me any problems, he trusts me and he wants to help you but doesn't know how to help you. The hardest part will be getting Don and the team to the location."

"Ok, I think I can see how Charlie and Alan will come but what about getting Don here?" Colby asks as he eyes the bottle.

"I have to convince Charlie to call Don and make it appear that he is being held hostage and that only Don, David, and Megan can show up. He can make it seem like you are already being held here with him. It is dependent on me having read Don correctly."

Colby looked over incredulously, "That's the plan? Try and get Don down to a secret location without bringing HRT, SWAT, and the First Calvary Division along to rescue Charlie? Do you have a death wish? He will hunt you down if anything happens to Charlie! The whole team will hunt you down. No one messes with Charlie!"

"Calm down Colby! Yes, it is a risk I have to take. Right now it is the only plan that will work. Once they get there, they will come into the room. I will have them remove their guns and phones and put them into safes so that they can't be traced. I think once everyone is in the same room they will listen. What do they have to lose Colby, you are the one taking the risk here!"

Colby eyed the bottle and thought about his future. He wanted the team back together like pre-Wayne Carter. He had tried to talk to everyone on the team and do anything, even the damn paperwork he hated, just to try and win them over. It wasn't working as well as he had hoped. What other option did he have? If this wouldn't convince his team mates he was being honest, there was nothing left to try.

Colby looked up with the most desperate look in his eyes, "When?"


	3. Chapter 3

Standard disclaimer: CBS and The Scott brothers and other folks own Numb3rs. I am just a fan of the show.

Chapter 3

"Hey Charlie, you got a minute? I need to talk to you about Colby," the girl asked later that day at the Eppes home.

Charlie's head poked around the corner, "Colby? Has something happened to Colby? Don hasn't called and said anything about a problem."

"I need your help and this is going to be one of the hardest things you will be asked to do."

"Do you need an equation, what is the problem then we will decide how to approach it ..if it is…"

"Stop Charlie, this isn't about needing an equation to solve a crime. I need your help and Alan's to get Don and his team to a place for a meeting about Colby and this whole Triple Agent business. But the way we need to go about it, isn't going to be pretty."

"I don't understand. Don will come over if we ask him to," Charlie answers bewildered.

"Let me call Don, he is always here as soon as he can be," states Alan Eppes as he moves to the phone.

"You can't call him yet. I need you to listen to me to explain what is going on and why I need your help. If you don't want to help me, I need to know now. Colby Granger's and the teams' future is at stake."

Charlie and Alan listen closely at what the girl has to say. Alan starts to shake his head in denial, but Charlie sees a chance to rescue his friends. They work so hard to rescue everyone else, he sees a way to rescue those he loves and considers brothers.

"Tell me what I have to do. Dad we have to do this. If we don't, I just don't know how Don and David will survive this."

Alan Eppes looks over at the girl, "I don't like this. I am holding you personally responsible if anything happens to either of my boys."

The plan was put into motion. The happiness and careers of a good group of people were going to be decided today. She still had no idea why she was intervening – she had her own black ops teams to get back to and run. Maybe she had seen too much, maybe she could see how these people would self-destruct when they finally realized that Colby Granger deserved more of their respect and help than they had given so far – and he was no place to be found. If this didn't work and the team was dispersed on Friday, Colby Granger would disappear into her world. The other alphabet agencies and black ops groups would not get a chance at him. The paperwork was already filled out so that Colby Granger would be sent into her organization, where she could use a good man like him but more so could make sure he didn't give up and walk into a situation in which there was no way out except in a coffin.


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own the characters or show Numb3rs...

Chapter 4

FBI Special Agent Don Eppes looked out from the break area to look at his team. David Sinclair and Megan were already in. But Colby Granger's desk was still empty going on 10 am. Where was he? Colby was never late. Recently he had been at work well before 8 am, almost as if he was trying to demonstrate his loyalty to the FBI. Don knew that there was a lot of tension in the office surrounding the last two months. Megan seemed to have accepted what happened, but David was still trying to come to terms with Colby spying on the L.A. FBI office. Don just didn't know what to think. Was he somehow flawed that he didn't see the lies Colby was telling? Or was Don just upset that someone he trusted didn't trust him enough to tell him what was going on?

Don heads out to talk to his team and see what is going on. "Have any of you heard from Colby today?"

Megan and David shake their heads, "Haven't seen him or heard from him Boss," Special Agent David Sinclair responds. "Want me to call him?"

"Call him, ask him why his butt isn't here. Tell him that its Monday, not Sunday," ordered Don.

David turns around to make the call. Quickly he realizes Colby's phone is turned off. It is going straight to voice mail. "Don we may have a problem here. Colby's phone is turned off. I am seeing if the tech boys can run a trace on it." David turned back to the phone to call down to tech support.

"Get on it. Let me know what you hear. Megan, call Charlie, see if he and Amita can get up here to do their math thing and help us find Colby." Don started to turn away when his phone rang, The number showed up as _Unlisted_. This so didn't feel right.

"Eppes," he said distractedly.

"Don, you have to listen,"

"Charlie? Is that you, what is going on?" Don was concerned about the sound of his brothers voice.

"Don, pay attention. I need you to get David, Megan, and Liz in a vehicle and leave the building. Tell anyone that asks that y'all have a lead you are going to go do a follow up. I will call in 20 minutes to make sure you are on the road."

"Charlie what is going on…" but all Don heard was nothing. The call had been ended. He hit redial, but nothing happened – it went straight to voice mail.

"Don, was that Charlie? What's going on?" David asked when he saw the look on his boss' face.

"I will tell you in the car, lets go."

As they get to the exit of the parking garage Don's phone rings "Charlie is that you?"

"Yeah Don. Look. When you leave the parking garage you need to head towards the Green Warehouse district. I will call you in 45 minutes to tell you where you need to be at. DO NOT use lights or sirens. Colby and Dad are here with me. We are ok, for now. Don't worry." Charlie quickly ended the call and powered off the phone. Charlie looked around at everyone.

"Don and the team are on their way," Charlie announced to the group. "He isn't happy, so be prepared. Don angry is something to be seen."

"You are underestimating Don Eppes and his team if you think you can pull us together to whack us," came a challenge from Ian. "No way are you walking out of this after threatening everyone he loves."

"Ian, I tried to get you to listen, I have no intention of killing anyone. In fact I am trying to SAVE the damn team. But everyone has to be here for this to work. I have no intention of harming anyone. You have my word on that. Besides, if I had wanted any member of Don's team dead, they would already be in the morgue," the girl responded.

Don pulled the big SUV out of the FBI parking garage and headed to the warehouse district. "So that was Charlie on the phone?" asked David. "What's going on?"

"Yeah, evidently someone has him, Dad, and Colby and they will call and tell us where to go to."

Megan looked worried, "Is Charlie ok? Did he tell you who had him?"

Don shook his head as he sped down the road, "No, he said they were okay, but not to bring backup."

"That's just stupid Don!" exclaimed David. "What do you mean, we aren't going to alert HRT and SWAT? Colby could be behind this."

The next phone call gave Don the address of the warehouse and his instructions. He wasn't happy about what he was being told, but he knew that he was going to break every rule in the FBI to get to his brother and family.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The black FBI vehicle drove thru the huge garage bay door and into the warehouse. It looked like your average run down old warehouse on the outside, but once inside the warehouse, it was like stepping into a very different location. Don pulled the SUV next to Charlie's car.

"Stay focused everyone," Special Agent Don Eppes told his team, "We need to find out what these folks want."

"Nice for you to join us Agent Eppes," a voice called out. "This way please."

When Don, David, and Megan made their way into the room, they realized it had been configured to be living quarters. Just like someone had dropped a house into a warehouse. A kitchen, living room, bedrooms, and bathrooms. In the living room, Alan sat on the couch. Ian Edgerton was restrained in a chair by cuffs. Colby and Charlie were talking to a girl. One they all had seen, but never could remember her name. Everyone was tense.

"Charlie, you ok? What is going on? Are are you hurt?" Don demanded as the three people turned around to look at Team Eppes.

"Don, look, just calm down. You need to take a minute a listen. I am okay..but….just listen ok?" Charlie tried to calm his brother down.

The girl finished patting Colby on the back, "You ready?" she asked him.

Colby took a deep breath and answered "Yes. Let do this." The girl and Colby turned to look at everyone in the room.

"Thank you for coming Don."

"Thanks for coming? Are you crazy, you threatened my brother and father!" Don screamed at the girl.

"Calm down. This is the only way I could get all of you on neutral territory. This is going to be a long day, so just listen.

Don looked murderous, "you lead us out here on wild goose chase and…."

"Not the time for you to talk, Agent Eppes. It is time for you to listen. Your team is self-destructing. If you want your team to self-destruct, then just walk out that door. This will be the last week you work together. I can guarantee it."

The girl turned to Colby. "Go get ready, I will prepare everyone here. Let me know when you are ready." She gently squeezed his arm in support as he turned to the bedroom.

"Have a seat everyone. Charlie, can you unlock Ian's handcuffs? Colby is going to do something that I think is braver than being on that freighter waiting for you guys to rescue him. He is going to be tied to this chair and given a different truth serum drug. Once it takes effect you can all ask him the questions you are wanting to ask but don't trust that you are getting honest answers about." The room exploded at that statement.

"What the hell, he's an FBI agent you cannot do this!" Roared Don.

As he launched himself at the girl, she brought the gun up. "No, let me tell you something. This team is getting put back together today. OR ELSE. You need to sit down, and figure out just what you want to ask Colby Granger about the last 2 years. This is a one time only event."


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own any part of numbers. Just a way to escape reality now and then.

Chapter 6

 _Could he do it? Could he really allow himself to be tied in that chair and injected with another drug?_ _What if she was wrong?_ _What if this didn't calm the fears his team had over his spying?_ Colby's hands were shaking as he changed out of his FBI suit and into something more comfortable. When this was over today, he was burning any reminders of today. No way was he wanting a souvenir of today's events. He understood that the only way was this way and he trusted her enough to put his life into her hands. He just hoped that the guys understood why he did it at the end of the day. With a deep breath he opened the door to the living room.

"I am ready," Colby announced as he came out of the bedroom. He moved to the chair and sat down in it. The girl moved to restrain his arms and legs.

"You don't have to do this Colb, we trust you," an agitated Don Eppes told his agent. "We can get past this without you having to be drugged with some truth drug again and be tortured," he pleaded with his agent. "We can't lose you to this."

"I trust you Don, but I think that you all need to learn to trust me. I am placing my future into your hands. I have tried to make up for the last 2 years, but I know that the team doesn't trust me. I have tried everything else, now maybe you can get the answers you want."

Don turned around. He couldn't watch as the girl finished securing Colby to the chair and preparing him for the injection. She quickly placed heart monitor patches on Colby's chest and a cuff to monitor blood pressure on his arm. A loud hiss from Colby made Don turn around in time for Colby to lean his head back with a grimace on his face. The girl took the needle out and gently touched the blond agent.

"Ok, breathe. It will kick in in about 10 minutes. There should be no pain associated with this. Some experience a sense of weightlessness. Just relax. When it takes full effect you will know. The urge to tell the truth is like nothing you have ever felt before. A lie will literally make your body rebel until you tell the truth." A tablet on the table kept updating numbers continuously. She saw nothing that looked too bad so far – Colby didn't seem to be having a bad reaction to the drug.

Everyone watched the scene with a look of horrid fascination on their face. Don was disgusted at the lengths that Colby felt he had to go to to get the team to trust him. Alan hated the girl and the violence she seemed to deal in so easily. Really, who could strap someone down into a chair and pump them full of a drug? Ian was trying to figure out the girl. He was just realizing that she might NOT be what everyone thought she was. And Charlie, he just hoped he had done the right thing by going along with the girl and this plan.


	7. Chapter 7

I don't own the characters...

Chapter 7...

"How do you feel Colby?" the girl asked the blond FBI agent. "It's been 10 minutes and all your vital signs look good. Much better than the stuff Lancer tried to kill you with I bet." A mild chuckle came from the agent tied in the chair.

"Yeah, better. Could go play a football game," at that statement his whole body bowed up. "Or not."

A look of relief spread over the girls face. "That's the drug. You went to make a smart alec remark, but it was a lie. Your body responded as such. Now, ladies and gentlemen, you see what will happen. If you ask a question and he tells the truth he just sits there. If it a lie or prevarication of any sort, his body will bow up like that. He isn't in any real pain. Not like the drugs that Lancer used that took days and weeks to metabolize and leave the body."

"I know the question most folks want to know, is do you regret lying to your team?" she asked to start the folks asking Colby questions.

"More than you know, but I had a job to do. I wanted to stop and tell you the truth. Every day, I was ate up by guilt. Some days were so bad, I could barely do my job. But if I did confess that I was a triple agent and spying and passing intel, the mole was going to still be out there and would keep feeding info on classified projects to the Chinese and other people."

"You acted like a brother to me. How could you betray me?" was the burning question from Sinclair. "How am I supposed to trust you to have my back?"

The girl knew that this was the question that the team's future hung on…. If Colby couldn't answer it….


End file.
